The present invention generally relates to a surgical retractor clamp. More particularly, the present invention relates to a retractor clamp which allows a retractor blade to be positioned in three dimensions by manipulating the retractor within the retractor clamp.
The location of retractors is critical in gaining access to a surgical site prior to performing a surgical procedure. In order to gain access to a surgical site several retractors may be required at different angles, elevations and depths. Retractor clamps or holders which provide for multiple positional adjustment of retractors aid the surgeon in preparing the surgical site for the surgical procedure.
Prior to providing retractor clamps or holders with positional adjustment, the position of a retractor support was adjusted to reposition a retractor at a surgical site. Retractor supports are typically rigid members, therefore when a retractor support is repositioned, all of the retractors attached to the retractor support were also repositioned. In some instances, a surgeon may only want to reposition a single retractor on a support arm while maintaining the position of the other retractors on the support arm to gain better access to a surgical site. Without providing for positional adjustment of the retractor at the clamp or holder, individual positioning of retractors is not feasible.
Retractor clamps or holders in the prior art provided height and depth adjustment by the use of racheting mechanisms. Cabrera et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,481 discloses a racheting mechanism for adjusting the height of a retractor blade. Additionally, the retractor holder disclosed in the Cabrera et al. patent discloses a through bore and a pawl cooperating with aligned teeth on the retractor handle to adjust the distance of a retractor blade from the retractor support.
Bookwalter et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,724 also discloses a retractor holder which vertically adjusts by manipulating a racheting mechanism. A depth of a retractor is positionable by the cooperation of aligned teeth on the retractor handle with a through bore of a complementary cross section and a spring biased pawl.
Santilli et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,726,356 and Re. 34,150 disclose a retractor which is positionable along a length of a retractor support having aligned teeth. A handle having extending pins meshes with the aligned teeth to create a rack and pinion system to adjust the position of the retractor along the support arm.
Other surgical retractors provide for rotational movement of a retractor, typically with a ball and socket articulated joint. Examples of retractor clamps or holders providing for rotational movement include Lei et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,083,154, Hunt et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,486 and Hossain et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,0764,021.
The present invention includes a device for securing a retractor to a support arm, the retractor including a handle and a blade, the device includes a spheroidal member having a through bore adapted to engage the handle of the retractor where the spheroidal member is rotatably captivated within a spheroidal member retaining portion of a main member of the housing of the device. The housing also includes a retaining member operably attached to the main member where the main member and the retaining member cooperate to engage the support arm. A tightening mechanism is operably attached to the main member and is in communication with the retaining member. The tightening mechanism is positionable between a first position wherein the spheroidal member is rotatably positionable within the spheroidal member retaining portion and a second position wherein the tightening mechanism causes a first frictional engagement between the spheroidal member and the spheroidal member retaining portion such that the spheroidal member is fixed in a first selected position.